Foster Parents Leave the System Because They’re Carrying Too Much Alone.
Isolation—not commitment—is one of the greatest threats to caregiver retention.
Extraordinary
Commitment
Caring for children who have experienced trauma requires extraordinary commitment. Families navigate complex
systems, meet challenging
needs, and often do so alone.
A Sense of Belonging
Research is clear: strengthening a sense of belonging through social support is critical to reducing caregiver isolation while increasing caregiver retention and family stability.
Enduring Relationships
Professional services are essential, but they are most effective when families are surrounded by enduring relationships, practical support, and a community that shares responsibility.
“Their support is so individualized...
Their ability to provide such specific support is truly unique and impactful.”
—Mia, Cohort Parent
People Who
Understand
Connect with others who understand the unique joys and challenges of raising system-impacted children.
Practical
Support
Meals, childcare, respite, tutoring, transportation, and volunteers who are there when you need them.
Ongoing Community Support
Friendships, check-ins, celebrations, and support that continues throughout the month.
The Impact of Belonging
When families connect, children are strengthened.
2x
caregiver retention
compared with the national average
200 +
caregivers connected
450 +
children connected
Long after the
meal is over,
relationships continue
Support continues through meals, respite, transportation, tutoring, navigating complex systems, and countless everyday acts of care.
Every Family
Deserves a
Community
Supportive Communities for
foster, kinship, adoptive
and guardianship families.
Every family deserves to feel seen, supported and strengthened.
Second Nurture creates spaces where families build relationships, find practical support and grow stronger together.
Second Nurture is demonstrating that community can be organized as a durable form of support for families caring for vulnerable children.
—
Together with philanthropic partners, community institutions, and child welfare leaders, we are expanding this model so more families remain supported and more children experience stable, nurturing homes.
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When a family says yes to a child,
a community should say yes to that family.
